Blend the major and minor pentatonic scales in 1 position - Guitar Lesson - ML074

This MicroLesson is a follow-up to ML073 (link below) - we will be building on the concepts in that lesson and will introduce the major pentatonic scale. This lesson includes examples of how to blend the major and minor pentatonics.
To view ML073 (the previous in this series), visit: • How do I START Improvi...
To download the TAB for this lesson, visit: www.activemelody.com/microles...

[@davidjohnalpha]

Mixing/blending the maj- min is gradually becoming clearer and clearer; these series of lessons are remarkable.

[@Bret4207]

FWIW I've been playing since 1970 or 71. At 62 years of age I'm finally getting beyond the 5th fret thanks in large part to your videos. Whats more I'm finally starting to understand how it all comes together. Thanks man, really- thank you!

[@toddmcintosh83]

Mine is a very similar situation! I’m the same age as Bret4207, and your videos have helped me become a much better guitarist! Actually be able to move up and down the fretboard with confidence and have fun in exploring and discovering sounds I’ve wanted to hear myself play for many years, but just couldn’t seem to find! Thanks to you, it’s starting to make sense! I’m so grateful! 🙏😊😎👌🎸

[@Bret4207]

@@toddmcintosh83 Todd, thanks for letting me know I'm not the only old guy with this problem!!! 😉

[@toddmcintosh83]

@@Bret4207 hey my friend, I’m sure we’re not the only “old guys” with these concerns, but possibly the only ones willing to admit it in this forum.😉👍😄

[@johnnoon5624]

Me too mate ime62 ,

[@Bret4207]

@@toddmcintosh83 😄

[@Jixer56]

Absolute genius. Literally the only website and channel you need if guitar is your quest. Superb and highly recommend premium membership. My only regret is the internet wasn’t invented when I started playing in 1990 to benefit from this fantastic teaching method. Filling my boots now instead and learned more in 2 months than I have done in the last 32 years. Awesome. 👍🏻🎸

[@toploadtele]

Exactly how Bob Dylan wrote and played Lay Lady Lay... Major, Minor, Major Minor chord progression. That's what makes it so melodic. Great lesson coach!

[@denisechetty4019]

I am getting more and more comfortable on the neck while visualizing the shapes!💡🎸👍

[@stevefielding8324]

Having the diagrams as you play, makes this lesson even better than awesome! Thanks Brian.

[@bungalowbluesman]

Thanks Brian, excellent. Plus, tasty minor improv toward the end there👍🏻

[@faulderrr]

Best guitar lesson I've ever had

[@mackensonlabbe9695]

One of thé best teacher i adore thé way teach God bless you

[@carlosgaray6789]

Brian, Great lesson. Thank you. You are a talented player and teacher. Regards from Colombia, South America🎸

[@pantano207]

Great lesson as ever.

[@TravisTheTreeGuy]

Great video. You are correct about straight pentatonic and chord relation.. Although I do disagree you can use both major and minor scales over major and minor chords. Not straight pentatonic, but when 2 pentatonic shapes are combined you're actually creating a mode. Depending where you overlap them dictates which mode. If you study scale degrees, it shows this more clearly. Then you can grab the 2s, 6s, 7 and 3 and use them for major or minor. The sooner you blend 2 positions like you recommend, the better. This gets players out of the rut and find the extra notes. Major and minor are always overlapping, it just matters which notes you're playing or skipping in that moment.

[@saltydog8243]

Great Stuff !! Really appreciate the micro lessons...

[@glennfinley9966]

WOW!, Brian. Excellent short lesson for those of us trying to get to the intermediate level, which of course includes understanding the pentatonic scales. I can play (and sing) a lot of songs, but am lagging in understanding the scales and theory because I have no one to play with. I want to learn the scales better, tho, because I want to be better at playing fills etc. This was a kIILLER lesson for me. VERY clear, with simple examples. Thanks a lot.

[@socoldfoundations7583]

You are a good teacher bless you.

[@jfinke373]

Brian, the funnest song to play on guitar is called HOUSE RENT STOMP by Big Bill Broonzy. Please put it out there! You da best, thanks !

[@godfreytan1001]

Such a cool lesson

[@amarokker]

This lessons make it look so easy, but when trying...Like learning a language. Not everything sounds really bluesy. For me two things helped a lot: Targeting the root note and playing licks with the help of just three notes. It's like small talk. When you have this, you can start to talk in longer sentences. But practicing is so much fun. Thanks Brian! I always come back to this lessons, they're so straight to the point.

[@amir.zolghadr]

very good lesson. thank you

[@gallp13]

Your style and lessons so informative and grounded. Really look forward to every vid you produce. Thank you for all your work. Aussie Paul.

[@jvecc84]

Brian, I think this topic is so popular because soloing can be very confusing and the methodology so different from teacher to teacher. Studying with a hard core Jazz teacher it's all about Arpeggio's, chromatic movement and the scale of the chord. As you point out minor pentatonic works in many cases and hitting a few chord tones in that scale as the song progresses can make for create sounding solo's. Maybe add a little basic voice leading concepts to this? I'm definitely a novice regarding voice leading. Even though it should translate to other keys with other pentatonic scales I think there is room for a bunch of additional videos regarding this topic. It's so much fun and the theory can be daunting when you're trying to pick out the right notes. Keeping it simple and move examples (more keys, more blues rhythms) would be great! Thanks for making this fun.

[@grahamfreer7157]

Thanks Brian for another great lesson ....cheers!!

[@Mooseboy08]

Nice! Since about '72, I've played with more of a "modal shapes" frame of mind, but I'm starting to teach guitar students again after retiring. It's good to see a different point of view on this stuff.

[@pierreg1340]

Very inspiring, Very well explained. Even for a beginner like me at 77 years old, I might be able to play solos in a short while. Keep up putting a few variety of those, it will be much appreciated. Thanks

[@UEEE]

This was what i need to know for now !! Thx !

[@ambarvenkataraman8890]

That’s another fantastic lesson for improving and improvising. Thank you so much brian. Grateful as always for your knowledge

[@jamesmcilmoyle9199]

Watched a ton of videos on major and minor this one seems to finally click what a great lesson thank you

[@andyjales]

These kind of videos are awesome!!!!! Thanks Brian!!!!!

[@billfehr256]

Awesome lesson!

[@robm9460]

Excellent, an elaboration on EP130, which is a favorite of mine.

[@campfireguitars]

Valuable information 👌

[@timleem3609]

Love these micro lessons. Full of must have info with great on screen visuals. Never knew that If it’s a major key you can also play minor pentatonic but not vice versa. Great takeaway.

[@MOAB-UT]

No sure about that. From say A major, you can slide down into the familiar 1st position penta (pinky will be on A) but that is now A MAJOR Penta (5 of the 7 notes from the MAJOR scale.) Yes, if playing Am, you can never just into the Major Scale as far as I know. I have tried both. The former works every time, not so much the latter.

[@drewdietz2115]

cool lesson, thanks once again Brian

[@fishzebra]

Great inspiring lesson thanks

[@paulcooper5748]

Always great lessons brian love the shell pink strat also.👍🎸

[@ambroseharper8316]

Thanks Brian for another great lesson 👍

[@johnh9200]

A simple observation from me. If the Box 1 Minor Pentatonic Key can be moved down the neck (towards the head) 3 places it becomes the Major Pentatonic. The House pattern (from Box2) also moves down 3 places, this conveniently places it in Box 1 Minor position, making all those notes available to you in the Key crossing between Minor and Major with patterns that become second nature really quickly.

[@gwag8410]

Excellent… thank you so much… I love your teaching style.

[@donaldfisher8556]

Brian this is a great lesson. Thank you so much.

[@andrewrobertson3499]

Love it . Light bulb moment!!

[@darbycrash3286]

Loving the lessons and enjoying playing more!

[@MUGSYBROWN]

BIG HELP, once again !! Thank you for spreading your knowledge my brother 👍👍

[@Marcnshae2011]

Very simple, yet helpful. Thank you!

[@alderete74]

this was an outstanding presentation

[@catchow1]

Very helpful!! THANKS

[@HankStoneMusic]

A lifetime of sounds mixing major and minor

[@arunaround5191]

Thank you very much for the great lesson 😀

[@joshgrimes7817]

Dude. Your guitar collection is really nice

[@activemelody]

Thanks :)

[@fabiotheodosio2463]

Great lesson! Thank you very much!

[@McboyLopez]

You are a very good teacher…many thanks!

[@sallymac1510]

Great follow up lesson by putting a different overlay on the previous arrangement. 😃Are there more ideas to play around with this… such as adding harmonised 3rds/6ths on different strings. Thanks for this.

[@cpymo]

Another excellent lesson Brian, as always, but I would like to suggest that when talking about scale shapes you could emphasise the location of the Root notes within the shapes, to be used as anchor points, and also showing how the scale fits in to any of the patterns.

[@farmerjones5233]

Good lesson. Very helpful. Thank you!👍

[@someguywhosold9914]

This was great, thank you! It has taken me a long time to get that even with extended scales and modes, it’s the same concept. You can shift them around in different keys as needed. I think I tend to play blended extended or pentatonics over majors - didn’t know i was doing that but its what came out and sounded good!

[@eunshim628]

bruh where have u been the last 10 years of my life

[@BurnleyNuts]

Another wonderful 'short' Brian, reinforcing some of my learning, I wondered if you might look to do a lesson on the natural minor and melodic, harmonic minor soon. Hope this links in to your theme.

[@activemelody]

Will do

[@dogzillamonster]

Brilliant, thank you

[@GuitarJoLa]

Right on, Brian! That’s a big golden nugget of a lesson 👌💕

[@woodyblakemore8401]

Excellent.

[@davidwalker41]

There's a relative dearth of KZbin videos about solo-ing in minor blues. What I didn't catch here (apologies if I missed it) was whether or not you can stay on the minor blues of the tonic chord when playing over iv and v, or do you need to shift the pattern when those changes come along. Thanks. Love the channel!!

[@gioacchinofasiol839]

Grazie. Thanks……nice lesson….very nice

[@user-kw7st2zc5e]

Super Thanks for this tip

[@2000saylv]

Nice one.

[@tefenstrat]

Clapton uses that Freddy King lick a lot or variations of it.

[@sainkn5343]

Thank a lot

[@utbronell]

Great lesson. I'm confident now playing the scales over the G chord and making some sort of melody but don't know what to do when the chord changes.

[@pj6366]

so you can play a portion of the exact same scale over the I, IV & V chords (@12:05)??? I thought the scale had to change with each of the chords...; what scale notes are common to all of these chords?

[@WithCarePlz]

That looks like my guitar. Is that a custom shop postmodern journeyman relic with closet classic hardware in dirty white blonde?? Best strat I ever played especially for lead work

[@stewartroberts5205]

Your posts have helped me so much. I love that guitar, is it a 57 Custom Shop?

[@theelderskatesman4417]

pedantic pentatonic question:, isn't the major box you are calling pattern 2 actually the 1st major position (even though that shape is 2nd position in minor), because that's where the root is on the lowest position on the E string? That's how I was taught 40 years ago, but there now seems to be a convention to relate the major to the minor when talking pentatonic (which seems upside down to me ... maybe because I am in Australia🤔)

[@theelderskatesman4417]

just checked the book I learnt all my scales from decades ago. It does have it the way I suggested. Just curious about these conventions.

[@mr.s5333]

@@theelderskatesman4417 I asked this question a few weeks ago as I was also confused. I've always understood that pattern 1 of the major pentatonic sits over the top of pattern 1 of the minor pentatonic scale in the way that Brian demonstrates. Not pattern 2 of the major pentatonic. Pattern 2 of the major pentatonic for me is the same as pattern 3 of the minor pentatonic. After such a long time, I'm struggling to remember that whenever Brian says pattern 2 I just need to interpret that as pattern 1 as I know it.

[@nyzombiesquad182]

Awesome

[@lamper2]

I thought the B.B. box had the root note on the second string.? please explain why you called 6:03 a B.B box. It looks like a D note.

[@tefenstrat]

Brian, I have question hoping you can answer. I watched a really cool lesson online --the guy also started out talking about the minor pentatonic scale. -- then he went on and started showing about the Natural minor scale ( ala Jimmy page in since Ive been loving you) and then he went even farther and started showing about the Harmonic minor scale ---which really sounds like music from India....really cool stuff....my question for you is - will these 2 other minor scales- the natural minor and harmonic minor scale work in a song that starts with a major chord?

[@activemelody]

Yes they will - they just have a different vibe - but they would work as well. usually just changing one note from the natural minor

[@donpattonjr]

So, I am looking at a Pentatonic Scale chart. The 1st position of the major Pentatonic Scale is the same as the 2nd position of the minor pentatonic scale... correct?

[@whatarefriends4]

Its the same positions in the same order for major or minor. If you play a position in minor and you move that towards the headstock 3 frets and play that same position it is then major. It’s frustrating because it’s actually really simple but it’s trying to describe it that’s difficult

[@mjjames2442]

Is the BB Box within the major pentatonic (position 2)?

[@juanangelogianopulos]

Hello great lessons! I have a question; how does the blues scale fits in all this? I have come to believe that it is a mix between the major pentatonic and the minor pentatonic. Thanks!!

[@activemelody]

The blues scale is really just the minor pentatonic scale, with the added "blue note" - 1-b3-4-b5-5-b7

[@juanangelogianopulos]

@@activemelody Thanks for the reply! I am enjoying your classes very much. I have been playing guitar for years but still find it difficult to solo and concatenating scales

[@oneeyemonster3262]

Keys are Just PITCH..it's easier..if I tell you in something you might be familar with...such as the HENDRIX chord...E7 add #9. He simply finger it as E, 3, b7 , #9 ( Root on A string 7th fret) Agasint low/high Open E....Pinky on the #9 ( enharmonic to b3) It's COMMON to use all DOMINANT chords..while playing 12 or 16 barrs BLUES There's 3-ea VARIATIONS of the BLUES scale... I personally use variation 3..it has 3-ea passing/option notes. ( becuase Im not a ROOKIE and MORE INFORMED.) X= Option/passing note. 1...........b3...x....4.....x.....5...............b7...x....R ( minor blues variation 3) 1..x..2...x.....3..................5...x...6..................R ( MAJOR variation 3) 1..x...2..x....3...................5..............b7...x....R DOMINANT penta...with 3-ea option KEEP it SIMPLE and EASY STUPID E7......A7.......B7 VAMP the dominant penta over each CHORD..as a guide You can apply it in WHATEVER style of music. theres's wazoo of SECONDARY dominant chords. ANYTHING that's NOT the primary...are SECONDARY SIMPLE ...without the JERKINS In a nutshell you could INSERT or use ANY chord degree within the 12 notes as dominant or whatever type of chords...as you wish. I can give GUIDES....from C MAJOR/A min as the PARENT KEY from A relative minor b3, b6, b7 are also just the SECOND arpeggios of the 1, 4, 5 chord b3, b6 = Harmonic min A min D min E7 b3 = Melodic min A min D7 E7 it's basic stuff of learn how to play G7 into C then E7 into A then D7 into G7 into C then A7 into D min into G7 into C or A min B7 into E ( melodic min #4 or A lyd b3) Notice...A is also possible DIMiNISHED chord. Anyways....once you're use to that or just practice the CYCLE of DOMINANT B7 into E7 into A7 into D7 into G7 into C7 into F7 into Bb7 into Eb7 into Ab7 into Db7 into Gb7 into B7 The next COMMON its A harmonic min b2 ( phry, maj7) = Bb lyd #6 you could Bb maj7 or Bb7 A melodic min b2 ( dor b2, maj7) = Bb lyd #5, #6 In a nutshell you could play Bb as Bb AUGMENTED ...if you want G7....................E7 .......Bb......Db =- N6 chords if you use FULL diminished H/W you could stack MAJOR, min, DOMINANT or dim chords every b3 intervals in a nutshell A min Bb7 into Eb maj7 E7 into A min or A min Bb7 into Eb min E7 into A min C Harmonic MAJOR ( ion b6) C Maj7 into F min G7 into C MAJ A min Bb7 into Eb Maj F min Db maj7 G7 into C MAJOR A min Bb7 into Eb min Gb MAJ G7 into C MAJOR A min Bb7 into E maj7 Ab min G7 into C MAJOR A min B7 into E Maj7 F# min G7 into C MAJOR or A min G#7 into C# min D dim E7 into A min or A min G#7 into C# min D maj7 B min E7 into A min In a nutshell...I played whatever chord degree as whatever as I damn please But here's some SIMPLE DOMINANT ish modes you can use to MODULATED over ANY DOMINANT chords. In a nutshell...just variations of SOUNDS. THEY ALL WORK. mix mix #2 Mix #4 ( lyd dominant) Mix b2 Mix b6 Mix b2, b6 ( phrygian dominant) Mix b2, #4 ( lyd dom b9) phry b4 loc b4 dor b4 aeo b4 In a nutshell...b4 is enharmonic to maj3 ( both b3 and maj3 ) Mix #2, #4 AKA HUNGARIAN MAJOR EXAMPLE you could stack these chords using this mode or play this mode over different chord. 1, 3, 5, b7 1 #2 5, b7 1, #2, #4 dim 1, #2, #4, 6 FULL dim 1, #2, #4, b7 HALF dim

[@activemelody]

@@oneeyemonster3262 lol - so much easier.

[@oneeyemonster3262]

Harmonic min b5 AND Melodic min b5 = Full dim W/H dor b2, #4 AND mix b2, #4 = Full dim H/W As I said...you can play MAJOR, min, DOMINANT or dim chords every b3 interval if you use the full dim H/W ( in a nutshell....b3 and maj3....and TRITONE) It's sort of like a CHEAT.lol Anyways....from the PARENT KEY of C MAJOR/Amin You can play Bb as Maj7, AUG, DOMINANT, or dim ( whatever chord) Bb maj7...that's almost like a possible G min if you use A melodic min...it's also B dor, b2 ( possible B min7) In other words...practice playing A min B min E7 into A min. Then the D MAJ or AUG = Bb AUG might make sense to you. But lets play the G and F as min too.lol A min B min G min F min E7 into A min WELL....to keep it SIMPLE and EASY ( DONT over thinK it) just play B min penta over B min ...............G min penta over G min ...............F min penta over F min If you MISS and accidently played maj3... Be cool. Dont freak out..B7. G7 F7...works too.lol Now Im going to vamp the full dim h/w over the C MAJOR or A min ( I or vi chord) A min Gb min C dim Eb maj7 E7 into A min A...........Gb...........C...........Eb (You can ALTER ANY of these chords to dim) A min Gb dim Db maj7 Bb dim E7 into A min It works because Gb/C dim into Db maj7 chord ( N6) simply play the Bb as dim (n6),... then E7 into A min You dont have to put it all in ONE song. But you can write different CANDENCE or TURN AROUND for different songs. if you play 16 barr blues.. aside from just 1, 4, 5...there's different turn arounds/cadence Sort of like a DRUMMER playing different fills/drum rolls... so it dosnt sound the same or boring. It'll make sense to you..if you play/practice with a drummer. They wanna try/play different rolls/fills too. Or they'll come up with cool funkie Grooves.lol

[@chau560902]

Blending major and minor penta are modal interchange?

[@mayawebdesign]

You have quite confused me with your explanation about G major pentatonic scale pattern 2. In all books I read that it is pattern 1. Anyway, I've progressed a bit far and was able to follow your explanation.

[@chau560902]

Can I use major penta over minor chords?

[@themixmusicandmore6280]

What about when the chords change?

[@robertahli3738]

Got confused a little i thought minor pentatonic is same shape as major pentatonic but you go down 3 frets

[@llwonder]

I find it so hard to play over multiple chords. I think targeting chord tones for one chord is fairly simple but when there's 4 chords it's so hard to be in time and hit the notes I want.

[@nateo7045]

Right? I'm at a point where I instinctively know where all the chord tones are in every shape, but even still my improvising sounds so lame lol :(

[@stephenhanlin2388]

The struggle is real!

[@mikec6733]

You switched from a G chord to a G7 chord without pointing it out. Ahh, the blues... G7 chord is actually in the key of C, but blues jargon would call it the key of G. Sometimes I wonder what I'm actually doing harmonically

[@darrylem6157]

Great lesson but I disagree that u cannot use the major pentatonic scale if the key of the song is a minor. It's how u use it. A major 4 and 5 sounds really good if u use it correctly in the minor scale.

[@congamike1]

I think the pink guitar would sound a lot better (and be less distracting) if it were just wood colored. Besides that, this is a very good lesson.

[@sergeybogdanovich7019]

❤️🙏🎼🎵🎶🎸✌️👌🇮🇱🍀

[@seanhennessey9869]

your site is good, you are sharp and impart the stuff well however I think it might be better to name the note you are playing instead of saying "second string 3rd fret" or whatever...

[@dezionlion]

I cant take you seriously with that pink guitar!

[@jrviade85]

I want to be you 😎

[@barruzza]

Im sure its a GREAT guitar and better than what I play but my grandmother had a toilet and matching sink that was the EXACT same color. Just saying.

[@vernsmart9583]

Stop doing the typing of the letters as you speak. It covers up the neck

[@activemelody]

where? give me a time stamp where the neck was covered by something?

[@lukather1]

I’m presuming you can only play the major or minor of the single chord not a progression in G ? 🤔 Can you play mix over a full g progression